Fumigating apparatus.



G. P. WILKINSON.

FUMIGATING: APPARATUS.

APPLIUATION FILED FEB 27, 1912 Patented June 17, 1913.

INVENTOR WITNESSES ENITED TATE PATENT GFFIfiE.

CICERO POWEL WILKINSON, 0F RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA.

FUMIGATING APPARATUS.

Application filed February 27, 1912.

Y 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Cronno P. lVILxmsoN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Riverside, in the county ofRiverside and State of California, have invented a new and usefulFumigating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in fumigating apparatus,and is designed more particularly for the fumigation of trees or thelike.

It is customary to treat trees for the destruction of scale or otherdeleterious living matter by producing about the trees an atmosphereconveying a sufliciently large proportion of cyanogen to cause thedestruction of the parasitic growths, and in order to accomplish thisresult it is customary to inclose a treated tree by a tent. It is alsothe custom to produce the killing atmosphere by placing in anearthenware vessel a suitable quantity of dilute sulfuric acid and tothen place in the dilute acid within the vessel a suitable quantity ofpotassium cyanid. A violent chemical action at once takes place, and gasis given off, being confined to the immediate neighborhood of the treeby the tent. While such treatment is very eflicacious, it is oftendestructive to the tents, for the violent chemical action causes more orless spattering of the acid, and some of it frequently reaches the tentwalls burning and rotting the tent, which is made of can vas, so thatthe life of the tent is comparatively short.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a container for thechemicals in which the reaction may take place and from which the gas orvapor may readily escape, but from which there is practically noliability of the spattering of the acid, and consequently the tent issaved from destruction or injury and its life is indefinitely prolonged.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a vessel,which, like those in ordinary use for the purpose, is preferably made ofearthenware glazed inside and out. This vessel may be wide at the baseand tapered toward the top where it is closed, except that there areprovided numerous perforations both through the top and adjacentthereto, and these perforations are preferably at an angle to thelongitudinal axis of the vessel, so that any acid which may find its wayto the top of the vessel due Specification of Letters Patent.

' supporting base.

Patented J 11116 17, 1913.

Serial N 0. 680,241.

to the violent agitation because of the chemical reaction, will come incontact with a wall, and be so deflected that its momentum will be lostto an extent preventing it from reaching the walls of the surroundingtent. The vessel is provided with a spout leading to the bottom thereof,and this spout is in turn provided with a removable closure, so shapedas to constitute a receptacle for the potassium cyanid, and may be of asize to contain a suitable charge without the necessity of other meanstherefor. F urthermore the charge containing receptacle will effectuallyclose the end of the spout, so that no acid may escape therethrough.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this specification, and since the inventionis by no means confined to any strict conformity with the showing of thedrawings, the structure may be changed and modified in various respectsso long as such changes mark no material departure from the invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation of the improved fumigatingapparatus.

Fig'. 2 is a central vertical section thereof with some parts shown inelevation.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a receptacle or container 1indicated as substantially frusto-conical in shape, but this particularshape is by no means mandatory, although it answers the purpose of theinvention and furthermore adds to the stability of the apparatus bypresenting a broad The receptacle is provided with a top portion 2,which is preferably slightly domed, as indicated, and through this domethere are formed numerous perforations 3 preferably directed outwardlyfrom the longitudinal central axis of the receptacle or container 1.Close to the top and but slightly below the same there is shown acircular series of perforations 4:, the axes of which are substantiallyperpendicular and radial to the longitudinal axis of the receptacle orcontainer, but even this relation is not at all mandatory. In bothseries of perforations 3 and 4 the probability of any liquid passingthrough them unimpeded is practically eliminated, since theseperforations are at sufficient angles to the usual movement of anyliquid particles to prevent them from escaping from the vessel 1, orgreatly impeding their progress by causing rebounding of such liquidparticles on striking the walls of the perforations. Furthermore, theconical form of the body member of the vessel or receptacle alsocontributes to the impeding of liquid particles and directing them inother paths than straight out through the perforations.

Extending from the vessel is a spout-like member 5 uprising from a pointnear the bottom of the vessel where the spout-like member is in freecommunication with the interior of the vessel and terminating adjacentthe top of the Vessel. The spout or duct 5 diverges from the body of thevessel as the upper end is approached, although this particular relationis by no means mandatory. The spout or duct 5 is preferably of about thesame internal diameter throughout, and is also preferably cylindrical incross section. Adapted to the upper or entering end of the conduit 5 isa closure 6 having its body portion cylindrical when the duct 5 iscylindrical, while one end of this closure 6 is beveled, as indicated at7 and the other end is provided with a cap member 8 of sufficientlateral extent to engage the end of the duct 5 when the main body of theclosure 6 is within the said duct. A handle 9 is provided forconvenience of manipulation of the closure 6, which not only serves as aclosure, but as a holding scoop for the material to be introduced intothe vessel or receptacle 1. At one side of the vessel 1, preferably thatopposite the duct 5, there is provided a manipulating handle member 10of any convenient form and size.

The vessel 1 is placed within the tent, which is assumed to besurrounding the tree to be treated, the broad base of the vessel usuallyresting on the ground, and this broad base contributing materially tothe stability of the device. Water and acid are introduced into thevessel either separately, or the acid may be first diluted before beingplaced into the vessel, and as the latter is preferably made ofearthenware glazed inside and out it is proof against any harm from theaction of the acid, which latter is usually sulfuric acid.

The scoop or closure 6 receives the potassium cyanid, and is then placedat the open end of the duct 5, so as to cause gravitation of thepotassium cyanid into the duct, the scoop being properly inverted forthe purpose and then pushed down until the cap portion 8 arrests furthermovement of the scoop or closure into the duct. This closure 6 may bemade of metal properly protected by japan or other coating and serves toprevent any escape of liquid fro-1n the duct. The chemical action isviolent and rapid,

and even though there be violent ebullition within the receptacle andthe acid be greatly agitated and thrown about within the vessel, theangle position of the perforations 3 and 4 prevents any such escape ofthe acid as would permit it to reach the walls of the tent to therebyinjure or destroy the tent fabric. The closure 6 effectually preventsthe escape of any acid through the conduit 5. hen the chemical actionhas ceased the vessel may be removed from the tent and the liquidtherewithin is poured out, after which the vessel may be thoroughlycleansed, the closure 6 being first removed.

In practice the walls of the vessel may approach a half inch inthickness, and, therefore, the perforations 3 and 4, which need notindividually be of large diameter, are suificiently long to prevent anyaccidental escape of the acid contents of the vessel while in action.

That is claimed is 1. A fumigating apparatus comprising a vessel with aninterior chamber for the reception of fumigating materials, said vesselhaving a top portion in one piece with the body of the vessel andprovided with perforations of a size and each directed at an angle withrespect to the longitudinal axis of the vessel to intercept liquidsprojected against the inner wall of the top, said vessel being providedwith a duct rising from one side thereof near its basic end and thereopening into the vessel and having the upper end provided with aremovable closure adapted to prevent accidental escape of materialtherefrom.

2. A fumigating apparatus comprising a frusto conical vessel having atop provided with perforations in outwardly inclined relation to thelongitudinal axis of the vessel at an angle and of a length to interceptliquids projected against the inner wall of the top of the vessel byebullition of such liquids, and also provided adjacent the top with aseries of perforations extending through the frusto conical wallssubstantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vessel, thelatter being also provided with a duct rising from one side thereof nearits basic end and there opening into the vessel and having the upper endprovided with a removable closure adapted to prevent accidental escapeof liquid therefrom.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoaflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CICERO POIVEL IVILKINSON.

VVit-nesses r O. A. LowEN'rnoU'r, CHAS. O. REID.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe! Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

